Ye Zifeng was able to use the Rong clan’s second young master to easily get onto the second level. However, there were also many people who could get on the second level by themselves and they easily caught up and surpassed Ye Zifeng.

His nickname as trash was basically half-cleared. However, not everyone had so much time in their hands to pay attention to Ye Zifeng’s recent achievements.

So in these people’s minds they didn’t know about the recent events and thought that falling behind Ye Zifeng was a great embarrassment.

“Fuck. My dad told me that during the last gathering, there was a coward named Ye Zifeng who forfeited immediately and became the laughing stock of the entire city. How come he’s so bold today?”

“Right? I remembered that during the last gathering, he ran away right after bone age test. How is he acting so normal today? Could it be that he had some sort of fortuitous enlightenment?”

Hearing all these shocking remarks and compliments about his son, Ye Chongtian was feeling very joyful. During this gathering, he originally wanted someone else from the other branch clans to take the third spot. However since he was rejected, he used Ye Zifeng to fill up the third position. Who would’ve thought that right when the competition started, Ye Zifeng would do something so splendid, helping the Ye clan gain quite a bit of glory.

In the Ye clan, the one with the ugliest expression was Ye Chen. His son Huichi was blocked by the Xiao clan members and had just reached the first level. In the competition, he had already lost his opportunity to get ahead.

At this time, while clenching his teeth, Ye Zifeng finally reached the tenth level. There were only a few people ahead of him and Xueyi. As for Xiao Mu and the others, they started later than Ye Zifeng and was crowding with other people at the seventh level.

Ye Zifeng took a deep breath and looked over at Xueyi, “Lil sis, the further we go, the more pressure is exerted on us. We will probably use up a lot of our strength before the time limit so we should use a different method to climb.”

Ye Xueyi looked confused and asked, ‘Use a different method? What kind of method?”

Ye Zifeng got closer to her and whispered, “When you jump up, I’ll be right under you and jump immediately after you. If we do it like this, we can lessen the pressure upon the second person. We will take turns and save our strength.”

Ye Xueyi’s face lit up, “That’s a great idea. But why are you only saying it now?”

Ye Zifeng looked at the people under him and then smiled.

“Only after separating ourselves from the other can we utilize this plan. Once the other people see this, they will probably try to copy us. However, right now, the people who are above us are probably too arrogant to work with each other and it is too crowded for the people below us the employ this method.”

After saying that, Ye Zifeng’s expression became serious again, “Alright sis, let’s not stand here and talk. We have to get going!”

She took a deep breath and then jumped straight towards the 11th level. Ye Zifeng quickly followed behind her.

With this plan in action, they were able to save quite a bit of energy and qi. It was exactly like Ye Zifeng had planned. The people above them saw this but did not work together and the people below them tried to do this but it was too crowded.

This process was almost impossible for them to duplicate as well. The two must have complete trust in each other and they have to work perfectly together.
……

“Hmph. This is simply preposterous. Are these people climbing a mountain or climbing stairs. To use this kind of rule bending method to help each other.” One of the Tiandao City’s experts commented. He clearly despised Ye Zifeng’s method of doing things.

Elder Lin smiled, “Elder Zhao, I’d like to think that they’re good at adapting to the rule instead of bending the rules. To be able to think of a method like this, they are very smart. These two will go on to do big things in the future.”

Elder Zhao coldly laughed, “I do admit that they’re a little smart but going on to do big things? I doubt it. We’ll see what they do on the twentieth level.”

There were a total of 100 steps and with each twenty levels, there will be a change in setting.

For the first twenty it tested one’s physical strength and not much of one’s qi. However, after the twentieth step, it won’t be that simple anymore.

“Hold on, Xueyi. This time, let me jump first.”

When Ye Zifeng reached the 19th level, he suddenly pulled Xueyi back.

“Brother Zifeng, what happened? Is there something out of place?” Ye Xueyi was puzzled.

“Normally, these kind of heavenly stair formations will change every twenty levels. If I am not wrong, then the next level will feel completely different from before.

Ye Xueyi’s eyes lit up.

“Brother Zifeng, how do you know this? Have you climbed the heavenly stairs before? That’s not possible. You didn’t even participate last time.”

When Ye Zifeng was a martial lord, he had encountered many different heavenly stair formations before. He had participated in something similar to this in his past life, so he knows all the tricks to these heavenly stairs.

He was preparing himself and didn’t answer her question. With a loud yell, lightning shot out from his body as he rushed towards the twentieth level.

At the same time, his surroundings quickly changed. He could still hear Xueyi’s breath right under him but when he looked back, he couldn’t see her anymore.

“An Illusion?” This was the first thing that Ye Zifeng thought of.

The first twenty levels were basically a warmup. This was the start of the real competition. When Ye Zifeng entered this illusionary realm, he became isolated from the outside world.

The formation was able to create an illusion based on each individual’s mind. The illusions were different for every person.

Ye Zifeng was walking leisurely around the illusion. Suddenly, without him feeling anything, a large golden sword appeared in his hands. In front of him, his servant from his past life was kneeling on the ground, begging Ye Zifeng not to kill him.

“So it’s the murderer’s illusion….” Ye Zifeng had a smile on his face. He had seen this kind of illusion before so he saw through this immediately.

Other people might not be able to tell that this is an illusion but to Ye Zifeng, he could easily see through all of this.

After he crossed over to the Martial Spirit Continent, he knew that he won’t be returning to his world any time soon. So if anyone from the other world appeared here, he could tell that they were fake. Since everything here is going to be fake, he could kill them without mercy. There was nothing stopping him.

“Die!” Ye Zifeng coldly smiled and killed his old servant.

At the same time, the old servant’s body went up in smokes and disappeared. Right after, the sound of a crying child came from behind Ye Zifeng.

The kid was called Han Yu. He was Ye Zifeng’s boy servant for when he needed to concoct pills. The kid was raised by Ye Zifeng himself.

Han Yu was crying and begging Ye Zifeng. He was kowtowing nonstop until his head started to bleed. He wanted Ye Zifeng to spare his life.

However, Ye Zifeng didn’t feel anything. He knew that this was all fake and immediately cut him down. This time, instead of disappearing, the body stayed there with blood gushing out. Another voice then appeared behind him.

“Ye Zifeng. I am the supreme emperor of the Black Tortoise Continent. I’ve been kind to you all your life and have granted you the authority to be above everyone besides me. Do you dare to kill me? I won’t let you go even when I become a ghost!”

Before Han Yu’s body disappeared, the supreme emperor of his past life appeared before him.

“Who cares if I kill you or not. You can’t stop me!” Ye Zifeng snorted coldly, raised his sword and cut him down. The emperor’s head flew off and blood splattered all over Ye Zifeng’s face.

Ye Zifeng tasted some of the blood that was splattered all over him and raised his brows, “So this is the limit of a martial practitioner’s qi. Even with such a strong formation, they could only make the blood taste like water….”

Ye Zifeng turned around again and this time, two people appeared. He could not see their faces and they looked as if they were some kind of spirit. This scene had finally affected him a bit.

He was an abandoned orphan. Ever since he was little, he had to rely on himself. He was fortunate and received help from an expert and learned the way of alchemy. If it weren’t for that expert, he would’ve died on the streets already.

Ye Zifeng trembled for a bit and didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes and swung his sword. All he heard was two heads dropping on the floor.

“Zifeng. Guess who I am?” Ye Zifeng’s eyes were suddenly being covered by a pair of hands.

Hearing this, Ye Zifeng smiled and answered, “It’s Jia Lan isn’t it.”

“Zifeng, after you went missing, I’ve been thinking about you everyday. Thinking about…. Where you went. Why didn’t you tell me anything before you left?”

“Jia Lan…. Why would I not tell you where I went.” Ye Zifeng slowly removed her hands and turned around. He stared at the beauty in front of him and grabbed her by her waist.

“Jia Lan…. I really miss you too. But sadly, you’re not her…..”

A painful look appeared on Jia Lan’s face. Her face froze as she looked down. Ye Zifeng’s sword had pierced through her chest and she was bleeding.

All the people that he had a close relation with in his past life had appeared one by one. And one by one, they returned to his heart.

He hugged the fallen Jia Lan in his chest until she disappeared. Then with a sigh, he looked over at the horizons.

Thanks for the chapter!
Wow, that is a nasty illusion. Most people would hesitate to cut down their loved ones, even knowing that it is all fake. Not many people have the resolve to abandon all in the path for power. I wonder if killing them is the only way forward, or if there is another way? I can imagine Xueyi having a difficult time passing the murderer’s illusion.